SPRING 2020
The following list includes graduate courses taught by faculty members of the Graduate Group and graduate courses offered by other programs and departments. Graduate students are also strongly encouraged to explore courses in other fields and disciplines that align with their scholarly interests.AAMW 525 Violence and Ancient Mediterranean ArtAnn L KuttnerW 02:00 PM-05:00 PMThe Greek and Roman world was fascinated by representing humans and beasts enduring physical and psychological pain, and images of violence inflicted by mortal and supernatural beings alike. These images occur in art of all kinds, consumed both privately and publicly, emerging in the domestic, religious, military and political sphere. They had a range of aims, from affording emotional catharsis, building political cohesion or enforcing social norms, to generating religious awe or confidence in empire -- and giving entertainment. As we explore this corpus, we can ask: what might be the roots of such preoccupation with the art of violence and pain in the `Classical tradition’ and its post-antique legacy? many modern cultures exhibit similar fascination: how far can modern reactions to and theories about such images be guides to reconstructing ancient viewership? How can ancient texts and histories help us in this interdisciplinary project?ANCH 612 The Flavian EraJulia Wilker, Cynthia DamonR 0100PM-0400 PMThe time of the Flavians (69-96 BCE) holds a special place in Roman history and culture as it marks the transition from the Julio-Claudian period to the High Empire. Historically, the rule of Rome's second dynasty saw a stabilization of the imperial power system, the consolidation of social and political hierarchies, and an increasing integration of the empire. Major construction projects reshaped the city of Rome, topographically and ideologically. The literary production in various genres reached a new peak, developed new forms, and explored new topics. The unusually high number of Greek and Latin texts and documents preserved allow us to analyze such changes closely; our focus will be on the interrelation and conjunction of these developments. Final projects will take the form of papers suitable for presentation at the SCS Annual Meeting.CLST 604 Greek TroySheila Murnaghan, Charles RoseT 0200PM-0500 PMAn interdisciplinary seminar focusing on the city of Troy both as an archaeological site and as the setting of the legendary Trojan War. We will consider Homer's Iliad (with selected sections read in Greek) together with the topography and archaeology of the site of Troy in order to address a series of interrelated questions: What are the points of continuity and discontinuity between the stories told by the literary tradition and the material record? How do both types of evidence contribute to our understanding of political relations and cultural interactions between Greece and Anatolia in the Bronze Age? How do Hittite sources bear on our reconstruction of the events behind the Troy legend? How have the site and the poem contributed to each other's interpretation in the context of scholarly discovery and debate? We will give some attention to modern receptions of the Troy legend that deliberately combine material and textual elements, such as Cy Twombly's "Fifty Days at Iliam" and Alice Oswald's "Memorial: An Excavation of Homer's Iliad." The seminar will include a visit to the site of Troy during the Spring Break.GREK 610 ThucydidesJeremy McInerneyTR 1030AM-1200 PMIn this class we will read excerpts from the Greek historian, Thucydides, whose account of the Peloponnesian War is one of the most influential and compelling examples of history writing from any culture. Thucydides is generally thought of as one of the more difficult Greek prose authors. We will read some basic narrative passages in order to become familiar with Thucydidean style, before moving to the more difficult speeches and editorial passages in which Thucydides expounds upon the goals and difficulties of writing history.CLST 698 Prospectus WorkshopJoseph FarrellT 0900AM-1200 PMDesigned to prepare graduates in any aspect of study in the ancient world to prepare for the dissertation prospectus. Course will be centered around individual presentations and group critique of prospectus' in process, as well the fundamentals of large-project research design and presentation.RELS 509 Teaching ReligionSteven WeitzmanR12:00 PM-03:00 PMThe aim of this course is to help graduate students from within and beyond the field of Religious Studies develop their ability to teach about religion in a secular academic setting The course has a practical dimension as a chance to develop one's teaching skills but it also aims to explore theoretical questions in the study of religion that come into focus when one has to help others learn about it.AAMW 512 Petrography of Cultural MaterialsMarie-Claude BoileauW 10:00 AM-01:00 PMIntroduction to thin-section petrography of stone and ceramic archaeological materials. Using polarized light microscopy, the first half of this course will cover the basics of mineralogy and the petrography of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The second half will focus on the petrographic description of ceramic materials, mainly pottery, with emphasis on the interpretation of provenance and technology. As part of this course, students will characterize and analyze archaeological samples from various collections. Prior knowledge of geology is not required.CLST 515 Kinship and ConnectivityLiana BrentTR 0300PM-0430 PMAn individual's life course is often reflected, enhanced, and defined by their relations to other individuals. This course will investigate the concept of kinship in the Roman world through textual, visual, and archaeological evidence. We will explore relationships at all levels of society from the imperial family to the slaves and freedmen who were part of larger households, in order to understand how different relationships shaped and structured interactions in Roman society. Together, we will explore the following questions: how were relationships and bonds represented in the ancient world? What structures were in place for families to perpetuate themselves through biological or adoptive means? How could non-Roman citizens create family connections through formal and informal channels? How could relationships be celebrated in life and commemorated in death? We will use written evidence from ancient historians, visual evidence like the Altar of Peace, and archaeological evidence from cemeteries to examine how Roman notions of kinship shaped life and death in different social milieu.CLST 568 Living World in Archaeological ScienceKatherine Moore, Janet Monge, Chantel WhiteTR 1200PM-0130 PMBy focusing on the scientific analysis of archaeological remains, this course will explore life and death in the past. It takes place in the new Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials (CAAM) and is team taught in three modules: human skeletal analysis, analysis of animal remains, and analysis of plant remains. Each module will combine laboratory and classroom exercises to give students hands-on experience with archaeological materials. We will examine how organic materials provide key information about past environments, human behavior, and cultural change through discussions of topics such as health and disease, inequality, and food.GREK 541 Greek Literary HistoryRalph RosenW 0200PM-0500 PMThrough selected readings from both poetry and prose, we will survey the range and evolution of ancient Greek literary practice.